Eta Aquariids 2027: the moon at peak

May 6, 2027, 05:48 UTC · Calculated July 26, 2026

0% Excellent — the moon is essentially out of the way.

Peak and moon conditions

Peak (UTC)

May 6, 2027, 05:48 UTC

Illumination

New moon

Peak rate (ZHR)

~50/hour

Radiant

Aquarius

Active period

Apr 19 – May 28

Peak night by city

For each city: the local time of the peak, and how much of that night is both astronomically dark and free of moonlight.

City	Peak (local time)	Astronomical darkness	Moon-free darkness	Moonrise	Moonset	Rating
Seoul	Thu, May 6 14:48	6.7 h	6.7 h	05:29 (+1)	19:30	Good
Tokyo	Thu, May 6 14:48	7.0 h	7.0 h	04:42 (+1)	18:32	Good
New York	Thu, May 6 01:48	6.3 h	6.3 h	05:26 (+1)	19:30	Good
Los Angeles	Wed, May 5 22:48	7.2 h	7.2 h	05:45 (+1)	19:19	Good
London	Thu, May 6 06:48	3.7 h	3.7 h	04:47 (+1)	19:53	Good
Madrid	Thu, May 6 07:48	6.3 h	6.3 h	06:39 (+1)	20:33	Good
Sydney	Thu, May 6 15:48	10.6 h	10.6 h	07:16 (+1)	16:36	Good
São Paulo	Thu, May 6 02:48	10.3 h	10.3 h	06:33 (+1)	16:49	Good

Why the moon decides a meteor shower

Meteor rates quoted as ZHR assume a perfectly dark sky with the radiant overhead. Real counts fall off fast with sky brightness, and the moon is the one source of sky brightness that is completely predictable years ahead. A full moon near the peak can cut visible meteors by three quarters even under a cloudless sky. That is why the useful question is not “when is the peak” but “where is the moon at the peak” — which is what this page computes.

Other years

Other meteor showers

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